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I am a fan of the KISS principle as well, however IMHO texts like the Genjo Koan have to express their worth mainly through actively lived life. The fact that they are hard to understand is part of the "chewing" process that kicks us a bit in the right direction without allowing our intellect to create another object to grasp...even if the object is called "understanding the essence of the Genjo Koan". When drowning in Samsara, analytical thinking will not stop our sinking.

Which does NOT mean to lose one's critical faculties mind you. Living Zen does not equal having a lobotomy either.

Thank you John,
I think that one should not try to summarize the "essence" in something like Dogen's writings. A few years ago I was much into finding the core, the essence and writing it down in simple words. I even dreamt of a "Shobogenzo in a nutshell", so you get all the essence of it right on a silver platter. But in fact I feel that would "intellectualize" it only, put it into boxes and suddenly its dead knowledge and not alive. Anyway, there are some points you wrote which I think are good ideas to do or to be aware of.
_()_
Myoku

A few years ago I was much into finding the core, the essence and writing it down in simple words. I even dreamt of a "Shobogenzo in a nutshell", so you get all the essence of it right on a silver platter.

Something I generally do will all things. How can I make this info useful? How can I make it a tool to work for me? Deeps bows for your clarity to help me with mine.

I've just begun reading Realizing Genjokoan by Shohaku Okumura. It's my first exploration into Dogen's writing. I'll find something memorable, hi light it, and then forget it in the time it takes to read the next 2 pages! That does concern me, but I think someone here said he'd read many Zen books and thought he'd forgotten it all, later realizing some of it came back and helped clarify later teachings he encountered in his practice. I just hope that happens with me.

Just finished reading a couple of chapters of 'Realizing Genjokoan by Shohaku Okumura'. Sounds like a good book. 'Dogen's Genjo Koan: Three Commentaries' is good too but it's going to take me several reads to understand it better. I read a couple of chapters of the book Jundo recommended and I will have to re-read the book too I am sure. I am just a zen dummy when it comes to understanding what I read.

I've just begun reading Realizing Genjokoan by Shohaku Okumura. It's my first exploration into Dogen's writing. I'll find something memorable, hi light it, and then forget it in the time it takes to read the next 2 pages! That does concern me, but I think someone here said he'd read many Zen books and thought he'd forgotten it all, later realizing some of it came back and helped clarify later teachings he encountered in his practice. I just hope that happens with me.

Me too Daisho (re: high lighting then forgetting) - I reckon learning in Zen is a bit subliminal and after a while certain teachings come back into mind/life-mind with a strong resonance.